This invention is directed in general to apparatus for cleaning particulate matter from a moving web, and more particularly to cleaning residual marking particles from a moving reusable dielectric web in an electrostatographic reproduction device.
In a typical electrostatographic reproduction device, an electrostatic latent image charge pattern, corresponding to information to be reproduced, is produced on a reusable moving dielectric web. Such pattern is developed with pigmented marking particles to form an image which is transferred from the web and permanently fixed to a receiver member. Due to the fact that transfer of the marking particles is not 100% efficient, some residual particles are left on the web. These residual particles must be removed before the particular area of the web is reused or such residual particles may result in unwanted artifacts appearing on the next reproduction which utilizes such area of the web.
Several mechanisms are known for cleaning particulate matter from moving webs, particularly in electrostatographic applications. These mechanisms include, for example, fur brushes, scraper blades, and cleaning belts or webs. Fur brush type cleaning mechanisms generally include a rotating brush operating in an air stream exhausted through a filtering system. Such arrangements are complicated and expensive, and the apparatus creating the air stream generates substantial noise. Further, they tend to produce airborne particles which can cause machine contamination. Scraper blades and cleaning belts are a popular alternative to brush type apparatus in compact equipment where the minimization of machine cost is important. While such cleaning blades and belts are generally effective in the less demanding environment of such compact apparatus, they tend to exhibit difficulty in maintaining their alignment with the web to be cleaned and remaining in effective cleaning contact with such web.